Bandits demand N30m ransom for six Zamfara Imams

Bandits who abducted six Islamic clerics in Zamfara State have demanded N30 million ransom for their release.

The clerics were kidnapped last Saturday along the Dakko-Damri feeder road in Bakura Local Government Area while travelling to Talata Mafara for a meeting.

A resident of Dakko village, Malam Muhammad Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident, said the driver abducted alongside the clerics had regained his freedom after his family reportedly paid N2 million ransom.

Ibrahim said eight people were abducted during the incident, including five Imams, their driver and two other people who were returning from a farm.

“We heard that the bandits demanded only N300,000 each and two 25-litre jerrycans of petrol as ransom for the two men abducted on their way from the farm. For the driver, the bandits collected N2 million ransom from his family.

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“The driver was released today (Saturday) and has since reunited with his family in Kwatsama village. We also heard that preparations are being made for the payment of the N30 million ransom to free the abducted Imams,” he said.

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According to Ibrahim, a serving senator from Zamfara State had pledged to pay the ransom for the release of the clerics.

“We hope this won’t take long,” he added.

He appealed to the authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the clerics, expressing concern about their age and the possibility that they could have been subjected to harsh treatment while in captivity.

“The Imams are aged and their stay in the bandits’ den alone could make their health conditions deteriorate. The government should therefore hasten efforts to free them,” Ibrahim said.

A son of one of the abducted Imams, who requested anonymity, said the release of the driver after payment of the ransom had raised the families’ hopes of securing the freedom of the clerics.

“This new development has raised our hope regarding the return of our fathers and the other religious leaders,” he said.

He confirmed that the abductors had demanded N30 million for the release of the six clerics, adding that the families were hoping to raise the ransom before the deadline issued by the bandits.

The abducted clerics are Malam Muhammadu Shehu, Chief Imam of Dakko Juma’at Mosque; Malam Murtala Dakko, Deputy Imam of the mosque; Malam Muhammad Yahuza, Chief Imam of Dogon Madacci 1st Juma’at Mosque; Malam Magawata Abdullahi, Chief Imam of Dogon Madacci 2nd Juma’at Mosque; Malam Bala Hogun, Chief Imam of Hogun Juma’at Mosque; and Malam Muhammad Tasi’u, Chief Imam of Kwatsama Juma’at Mosque.

The clerics were reportedly ambushed at Gidan Bature village in Damri Ward, Bakura LGA, while travelling to Talata Mafara for a meeting at the residence of former Zamfara State governor and serving Senator Abdul’aziz Yari.

A source said the clerics had resorted to feeder roads because travellers had increasingly avoided major highways due to bandit attacks.

“You know that in an effort to escape bandits, travellers have deserted major roads. We now resort to feeder roads for safety. Unfortunately for the clerics, the bandits staged an ambush along the Dakko-Damri feeder road and abducted them.

“We suspect the abductors had prior knowledge of the route the clerics followed. Bakura shares borders with Bukkuyum and Anka. So the clerics travelled through feeder roads from Lambar Bakura to Dambi, and then to Sabon Garin Dambi before heading to Talata Mafara,” the source said.

(Trust)